Mysterious tremors felt across New Jersey, blamed on military sonic boom
A sonic boom felt across the tri-state area for over an hour on Thursday was reportedly caused by military tests over the Atlantic Ocean. Military officials deny any involvement, while the public has been busily exploring other possibilities.
Beginning around 1:30 p.m., people from southern New Jersey to Long Island and parts of Connecticut called 911 to report what they guessed was an earthquake, with some reporting multiple episodes of rattling in their homes or offices. No injuries were reported.
Not an earthquake but a sonic boom in New Jersey: https://t.co/eUr4sB28Wmpic.twitter.com/TQFlkGr633
— USGS (@USGS) January 28, 2016
The National Weather Service in Mount Holly contacted Columbia University researchers who confirmed the source was not an earthquake, ABC News reported.
New York’s WABC was first to report that the mysterious tremors were caused by military aircraft testing from the Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst.
#BREAKING: Shaking felt on #LongIsland & the #JerseyShore was caused by a military aircraft from McGuire AFB that broke the sound barrier.
— ABC7NY NewsDesk (@ABC7NYNewsDesk) January 28, 2016
However, base officials denied the report shortly thereafter. “It wasn't us,” a spokesman told WABC.
We have reports of ground shaking in S. Jersey-- currently our training ranges are clear and no MDL aircraft are capable of sonic booms.
— JointBaseMDL (@jointbasemdl) January 28, 2016
A sonic boom is what happens when an aircraft travels faster than the speed of sound - about 768 miles per hour - and breaks the sound barrier. As the air left behind the vehicle travels downward, its impact can sound like thunder to people on the ground, according to NASA.
But the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), disputes the sonic boom theory entirely.
"There has been no indication of a sonic boom or anything else at this time," Lt. Commander Richlyn Ivey said, according to the Star-Ledger.
The 177th Air National Guard reported it had no flights operating in the area, WABC reported. However, NASA spokesperson Allard Beutel relayed reports of a military aircraft off the coast of Sea Isle City, according to NJ.com.
“At least 9 sonic booms were recorded in the following hour and a half,” the US Geological Survey reported on its website.
Dan Skeldon, a south New Jersey meteorologist, took to Facebook to postulate why so many booms across such a wide area were felt and heard. “Atmospheric inversion,” when warm air is higher up from the ground than cold air, could have provided the perfect setting for such a boom to travel the way it did.
WHY DID SO MANY HEAR/FEEL TODAY'S BOOM/TREMORS?With this post, I'm not trying to offer proof for or against the sonic...
Posted by Dan Skeldon on Thursday, January 28, 2016
"If the cause of the sonic boom took place in that warm layer, sound travels through warm air much more easily," Skeldon posted.
Not satisfied with the official explanations, or lack thereof, some Twitter users put forth their own theories.
Guys that wasn't an Earthquake I think governor Chris Christie just fell off his chair #NJearthquake#earthquake
— nuzzims (@MNuzzzz) January 28, 2016
I'm not saying the sonic boom is aliens but I'm not not saying the sonic boom is aliens because it's probably aliens.
— Jawns Gruber (@mikeyil) January 28, 2016
Exclusive footage from Atlantic City #sonicboompic.twitter.com/NePl4A5rFU
— Dan McQuade (@dhm) January 28, 2016
Others were surprisingly sure about what the cause was.